Kayden Ray : portraits // paris, tx child and portrait photographer

The day I met Kayden Ray I could tell that he was shy. I know having a girl take pictures of you doesn't exactly sound like a 9 year old boy's dream. You could see in his eyes that he wanted to run and be free and jump off of all the high surfaces that surrounded us on the square downtown. 

I always waltz into a photoshoot with high hopes and the misconception that I'm going to be a comedic genius at comedy hour that makes everyone cry with laughter because I'm just that funny. Then when I get to snapping, I realize something quite daunting.

I am the cheesiest human being that has ever walked the earth and none of my jokes are even the slightest bit amusing. 
Or at least that's the fear that comes in and crushes the high hopes.

Shy kids are tough cookies when you suddenly realize you're less than hilarious. Especially when, deep down, you're a shy kid yourself.

There. I said it. I'm a shy kid with a very outgoing job. When I feel overly shy I try to do something  overly bold to counteract the process. And it usually fools everyone!

Kayden Ray may be a little shy at first, but he's got something up his sleeve that could fool a crowd.

Besides his contagious smile and his long dark curled eyelashes, this boy can dance. Like day-unce. Better than I dance in my dreams. And in my dreams, I have some moves, y'all. Somewhere amidst trying to get this fella to laugh his sweet laugh and smile that beautiful smile naturally, his grandmother was telling me he could do the moonwalk. Psshh. Yeah, ok...whatever. I can kind of do the moonwalk too. In socks on a slick floor. But, I was in for a surprise. I said, "Ok, Kayden...you wanna show me the moonwalk?" Right there before me, without even skipping a beat, in tennis shoes and all, this kid did the moonwalk so well it would have put the King of Pop to shame! Needless to say, my jaw fell to the ground and I deemed it to officially be quite possibly the coolest shoot I've ever done.....





























Did I mention that the moonwalk is not the only dancing he did that night?! It was awesome...









I did eventually let him jump off things. ;)




Just bee-boppin' along like the cool kid that he is. :)













His grandfather works for the postal service so this is for him! :) 







High five Kayden, sir...you are way so much cooler than I will ever be and you made my afternoon with you super-stellar-fun. :D

~Through Christ's Love ♥